6/22 Dogwood, summer, AK Chinook, marine protected area, WA gas price, school boards, Japanese beetle, coastal flooding, endangered species, Seattle enviro review, monarch butterfly wings

 

Red osier dogwood [Budburst]

Red Osier Dogwood Cornus sericea L. ssp. sericea
Of the approximately 50 species of dogwood found worldwide, 16 are native to the United States. Red osier dogwood is our most widespread native species, occurring over most of the continent except for the southern Great Plains and the southeast. Red-osier dogwood was one of several plants referred to as “kinnikinik” by American Indians for its use as a tobacco substitute. Edible plant enthusiast H.D. Harrington wrote that Red-osier “is said to be aromatic and pungent, giving a narcotic effect approaching stupefaction”. He recommended its use only in moderation. (Walter Fertig/US Forest Service)

Summer is here: What to expect for PNW wildfire season and more
While spring in the Northwest has been cool and damp, the extended forecast shows the first few days of summer will be sunny and relatively warm. Things are expected to heat up, and dry out, as we head into the thick of wildfire season 2023. Katie Campbell and Angela King report. (KUOW)

King salmon season back on in Alaska after federal appeals court lets fishery open July 1
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday halted a lower court ruling that would have shut down southeast Alaska’s chinook salmon troll fishery for the summer to protect endangered orca whales that eat the fish. The ruling by a three-judge 9th Circuit Court panel means the summer chinook, or king, salmon season will start as usual next week for an industry that supports some 1,500 fishery workers in southeast Alaska. (Associated Press)

First Nation on Vancouver Island declares marine protected area
Tsawout First Nation says declaration is 1st step in negotiations to manage 155 sq. km of territorial waters. Kathryn Marlow reports. (CBC)  See also: How First Nations Are Asserting Sovereignty Over Their Lands and Waters Indigenous Marine Protected and Conserved Areas hold a key to food security and balancing ecological and economic priorities. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

WA gas prices now highest in U.S.; experts point to new climate legislation
Washington unseated California this week as the state with the most expensive gasoline. Prices here have been steadily climbing since January, reaching $4.91 per gallon of regular gas on average this week, surpassing the Golden State, the longtime national leader at the pump, according to a Seattle Times analysis of retail prices compiled by AAA. The average price in King County exceeded $5 a gallon on Wednesday. Isabella Breda and Manuel Villa report. (Seattle Times)

Impact, importance high in local school board elections
Do local races risk turning into political referendums instead of reasoned debates over school district functions? Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Invasive beetle found in Yakima County could devastate WA crops
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has spotted the first adult Japanese beetle of this year in Yakima County on Tuesday. The beetle, which is not established in Washington, can feed on 300 different plants, creating concern that it could negatively impact several of Washington’s top agricultural commodities, such as cherries and hops. It was first spotted in Sunnyside in 2020. Mai Hoang reports. (Crosscut)

Coastal Flooding Will Be More Extensive Sooner than Scientists Thought
Updated, more accurate data gives a new look at the effects of sea level rise. J. Besl reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Endangered Species Act to Be Strengthened
New rules would void Trump-era changes that made it easier to remove animals and plants from the endangered list. Lisa Friedman and Catrin Einhorn report. (NY Times)

Seattle 'streamlines' environmental review for some downtown buildings
The approval process just got faster for certain construction projects in downtown Seattle. The City Council voted to cut down on environmental reviews for small and medium-sized projects in the area. City Councilmember Dan Strauss says other laws already cover factors like traffic, air quality, and noise pollution, making additional review under the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) redundant. Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)

The Secret in the Spots on Monarch Butterflies’ Wings
The wings of monarchs that survive a 2,000-mile-long migration tend to be spottier, suggesting that feature may aid the insects’ ability to fly. Kate Golembiewski reports. (NY Times)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  251 AM PDT Thu Jun 22 2023   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NE to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds.

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